Love's Never Easy
by Ayrmed
Summary: Hinata loves Naruto and would do anything to keep him happy and safe. Naruto loves Hinata and is ready to tell her. Sakura loves Naruto, or so she thinks, and she's willing to do or say whatever it takes to keep him to herself. Is Sakura their worst problem or is there something more sinister working against them?
1. Trouble with Booze

Hinata tucked her raven tresses behind one delicate ear nervously. Here she stood in Naruto's apartment doorway, a somewhat intoxicated Naruto leaning against her back mumbling something. Hinata had no idea what, the one thing she did know was that she was about to enter the little one room apartment that was his home and the only thing she could concentrate on was the warm breath that was drifting over the nape of her neck and down the front of her jacket. That last part was impossible she was sure but she didn't want to admit to herself that the idea of being alone here with Naruto had caused a barrage of images... None of which her father would have approved of and all of which would normally have caused her to faint. Not tonight though. She was determined to be there for her friend regardless of how much she wished it was something more. Tonight she had watched him once more pour out his heart to Sakura . Though she couldn't hear the conversation the animated way both were talking and Naruto's subsequent marathon of shots she could only assume the result had not been in his favor.

Somewhere around midnight he had staggered up behind her and draped his arms over her shoulders. She had long since gotten over the stuttering and fainting that had cursed her youth but her body still filled with heat the few times that Naruto's body had come into contact with hers. Tonight was no exception. Even with the calming influence of alcohol in her system her traitorous insides were rioting. Not knowing where the light switch was she instead opted to make her way slowly through the darkened room to the large mattress she could see the outline of against the wall.

She leaned sideward, trying to slide the still mumbling yet seemingly comatose Naruto on to the bed without injuring either one of them. Instead, she found her back pressed against a firm body and strong arms held her captive. She froze as a deep chuckle came from behind her left ear.

_ "Finally hime. I have you where I want you..."_


	2. Moving On

**A/N **

**Thanks for the reviews and those that have chosen to follow my story. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.**

**And just in case you didn't know Naruto belongs to Kishimoto and I'm cool with that. I just want to write with him. **

Sakura ran her hands down the front of the new dress, her nervousness making itself known in the repetitive motion. Team Seven, or at least the part of the old Team Seven that was welcome had just returned from a celebratory anniversary party in Suna. After years of unrest, Suna had started to stabilize and had become a much nicer place to live, at least for those who enjoyed the dry hot days and cool nights. In recognition of this Gaara had decided that a festival was needed and if there was a festival, then his good friend, Naruto, was needed as well. Sakura and Kakashi had gone along as well. Sasuke was neither interested nor invited to the event which meant that Sakura and Naruto were left to their own devices. Kakashi was using the opportunity away from Konoha to search for some much needed "adult" company.

Regardless of Sakura's feelings for the distant Uchiha she found herself enjoying her time with Naruto. For the first time she felt a flutter in her belly when he laughingly dragged her from shop to shop. Certainly, it was nothing like the full body flush she felt when in the presence of Sasuke but it made her suddenly curious about what else might be out there. What if Sasuke never became hers? What if she was missing an opportunity with Naruto? And so she decided that it was time to make a choice. When she got home she would talk to Sasuke, tell him her feelings and find out if he cared. If he did not then she would move on. Naruto loved her and would do anything to make her happy. The more she thought about it the more situation seemed like a win-win.

Sasuke was less than receptive to Sakura's declaration of undying love. He was jaded by years of fan girls admiration and was still not over what he termed "his brother's betrayal". As a result he had too many trust issues to even entertain the idea that Sakura felt anything real for him and told her this unemotionally in a way that was uniquely his.

Thus we return to Sakura and her nervous twitch. The bar is full and she is about to join Naruto at the bar. Not truly satisfied that her dress is straight, her hair neat nor her make up smudged she pats herself down one final time, inhales deeply and sets off towards Naruto. He smiles as he catches her eye and she subconsciously exhales. This will be easy. They will be easy. They have shared so much over the years this should be the next logical step. As she reaches him, he hugs her and she pulls back just enough to lightly touch his whiskered cheek with her lips. He pulls away, blushing slightly and looking at her with an odd expression.

"Hey Sakura! What's up?" He offered her a beer, she took it, absently pulling at the label while she tried to find the right words. Finally unable to come up with anything inspired she decided to get straight to the point.

"Can we talk?" She motioned toward a corner of the room that offered a little bit of privacy. Naruto nodded, concerned with her solemn face. He escorted her away from the crowd and when assured they were alone, turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "I've wanted to tell you something for a while." She watched to see if his expression changed but it appeared that he was still the same old Naruto and needed things spelt out for him. "Naruto, I'm in love with you."

His face went blank for a moment and then he smiled, a huge smile followed by a burst of laughter. "Almost got me there, where's the camera?" When Sakura didn't join in the laughter he stopped and looked at face closely. "I'm sorry Sakura. You're serious?" His smile faded. "I'm not in love with you and let's be honest you know you love Sasuke."

"I don't actually, I love you." Her face was calm but her voice trembled slightly though Naruto could not tell whether it was anger or pain that was causing it. Naruto sighed.

"I'm sorry Sakura but I actually care for someone else." He turned to leave and she grabbed his arm, squeezing it slightly. For a moment he looked back at her wishing there was something he could say but knowing there was not. He lowered his head and walked slowly back over to the bar. Had he turned back a moment later he would have seen an expression come over Sakura's face that spelled trouble and if he could have read lips he might have made some different choices that night.

However, Naruto has always been known to lack observation skills when it comes to women and lip-reading was not a skill he had perfected. It wasn't necessary when you had the hearing of a sage. Of course he wasn't in sage mode so he missed the muttered. "You loved me once Uzumaki and you will again."


	3. Clueless No More

Naruto glanced in the mirror, absently adjusting the collar on his black shirt so the thin orange stripe is visible. A grown man now, he still loves the burnt shade of orange that marked his trademark suits but he no longer requires the attention that color drew. These days if he chooses to wear the bright color he only wears a hint. It's a tribute, in a way, a reminder of where he has come from and where he is now.

The last five years since the end of the 4th war had been hard, many lives were lost but the villages had all pulled together in the end and defeated Madara. Most stories told credited the victory to Naruto and the tailed beast, Kurama but if you were to ask Naruto he would say it was a team effort. Everybody there had given their all. For some that had indeed been everything. Thoughts of Neji came to mind and he silently thanked him once again for his sacrifice. But for Neji, Hinata would have taken the death-blow that was leveled that day and Naruto was not sure that things would have turned out quite so well for the Alliance had that happened.

Only Naruto and Hinata knew how close he had come to falling under Obito's power that day. Neji's death had hit him hard. Obito knew that he was vulnerable and he'd played on it, trying to seduce Naruto with visions of a world without death but Hinata had refused to let him lose faith. He could still feel the sharp sting of her hand as it connected with his cheek and brought him back to reality, in all its horror. Her gentle touch and heart-felt words had once again reminded him of what they had fought for and allowed him to see beyond the horror. When he stood, it was with the strength garnered by the tiny hand which he grasped with all his might and the memory of her voice.

He wished he could say that he had fallen for the quiet woman in that moment but for all his strength he was still a child. Then the war ended. Shinobi were busy, travelling back and forth between villages The villages had pooled their resources and any type of skilled personnel were escorted by teams, on a civilian training rotation that ensured equal access to skilled labor for all. The rounds had finished up about six months ago leaving Naruto free finally to reflect back on his life and to figure out exactly where that left him.

Some things were easy. Sasuke was broken but not beyond repair. He definitely needed to learn how to trust again and Naruto was sure with his friends' help that would eventually happen. Kakashi seemed to be a different man. He had more spring in his step and the corner of his one visible eye crinkled often, suggesting that there was a hint of a smile lurking beneath the ever-present mask. Iruka whistled lightheartedly. Naruto was pretty sure this had to do with the time he was spending with Ayame. Neither would admit it but it was clear that they were in love.

Love, now that was a little harder for Naruto. It wasn't that he didn't know how to love, his village, his friends, he loved them all. He just had no idea what romantic love was. As a youth he had thought it was that needy feeling he had when around Sakura but he had known for a long time now that she was like a sister to him. The crush had been nothing more than a sibling searching acknowledgement. He had Sasuke to thank for that gem. Then there was Hinata. During the invasion of Pain, when she had stood up to protect him and declared her love he took it as the same love that he felt for the people he swore to be there for. It meant the world to him but he didn't get it. Then, despite her grief she had been there for him, pulling him back from the ledge on which he teetered. He had taken this as a testament to her strength and dedication, which was truth. The part he didn't get, until years later, was that the dedication and strength were inspired by her love for him.

Now that he was back home he had started to spend time with her socially. They were generally in a group and eventually the relaxed atmosphere made her more comfortable. He began to see what it was that he had missed all those years. She was gentle and kind as witnessed by the children she worked with at the academy. Her loyalty knew no bounds. Her strength he was already aware of but it was her grace that had finally got him.

It had been a month ago and Konoha had thrown its first annual cultural festival, an opportunity to celebrate the history of each of its clans. The council had been against the idea at first but Tsunade had pushed for it saying if they were going to change the ninja world they were going to have to focus on the positives and one of those positive aspects of Konoha was their multicultural citizenship. It had been a fun event. He didn't think he'd ever seen children so carefree. Even the adults seemed more relaxed but for Naruto there had been one event that had stood out.

The Hyuga clan was known for dance, not surprising considering their fighting technique and yet Naruto had no idea. Furthermore, he had no idea that Hinata was to represent the clan with a solo dance. When they announced her name he turned, and made his way to the back of tent that served as a cover for the stage. As he watched, she walked slowly to the middle of the stage. She wore a form fitting outfit that blended with her skin tones and her blue-black hair was twisted into a role at the back of her head. She began to move and he watched, a slow suspicion building as he watched the graceful movements and the delicate poses she struck. Then it struck him…the waterfall!

Years ago on, a mission with Kiba, Shino and Hinata he had spotted a beautiful figure dancing over water in the moonlight. He had stood transfixed until one wrong step had sent him plummeting into the water and frightened the figure away. His initial amazement had turned to frustration and so he had experienced his first true attraction. Years passed and he had put the event behind him but he had never forgotten the emotions he felt that night…until the dance. Suddenly Naruto had become the smartest ninja in the world, or at least he thought so. Hinata was the dancer who had first ignited the flame of longing in his gut and over the years she had slowly fanned the flame. Unfortunately it had taken him forever to put it together. She had encouraged him, given him her love freely and supported him despite her own pain. He, in turn, had prevailed when she encouraged him, raged when he thought her love had been taken from him and stood tall when she supported him.

He smiled. The clueless ninja was clueless no more!


	4. Best of Intentions

"Iruka!" Naruto's usual grin grew even broader as he spotted his old sensei tending bar. A couple of years before, Teuchi had decided to take advantage of the increased traffic to Konoha by expanding _Ramen Ichiraku _to include a full restaurant and bar. On weekends and special occasions it served as a meeting place for the Leaf's many shinobi. Iruka had initially started to work there when special functions called for something a little more skilled than a regular bouncer. Time passed by and he had found himself spending more and more time there as he discovered that Ayame, Teuchi's daughter shared some common interests with him, the most important of which was a strong attachment for the young man who now stood before him.

"Naruto! How was Suna?" Iruka smile matched Naruto's.

"It was a blast…but I'm glad to be back." He accepted a beer and nodded his thanks. "How's Ayame-chan?"

Iruka shook his head in exasperation. "The woman will not stay put! In her condition she should be at home relaxing but no…she has to have everything done yesterday. She will truly be the death of me. "The look of adoration on his face told a different story. The two had spent more and more time together and after only a few months he had proposed. They were now weeks away from the birth of their first child. Naruto was happy for his former teacher and hoped that all went well for them. The two were the closest thing he had to a family growing up. Though most in the village had looked down on him they had both stood behind him, helping him when he needed it and loving him always.

An angry shout came from the office and Iruka turned to Naruto apologetically. "She's on an ice chip binge, strangest thing I ever saw. She must have run out. Better get more before she breaks something…or someone!"

Naruto nodded and turned on his stool to take a look around. It was probably the first time that all of Naruto's friends had been home at the same time in months and it seemed they had all gathered together instinctively. Shikamaru was here with Temari. She had returned with Team 7 to spend some time with Shikamaru before leaving on a six month training mission in the Cloud. The two chatted idly over a game of shogi. Naruto suspected they were discussing wedding plans. Temari had told Naruto on the way there that Shikamaru had finally popped the question. Ino and Choji were a couple of tables over sharing some sushi. Choji…sharing? He made a note to ask Choji or maybe even Shika about that. _Love is in the air, _he thought then, chuckling to himself.

It was then that he noticed Sakura and remembering he owed her a drink from the last time they were out he grabbed an extra beer and turned just as she approached. She stood silent for a moment, eyes lowered. When she finally looked up and met his eyes it was with an intense look that darkened her jade green eyes. Worried that she was upset over Sasuke he toyed with the idea of giving her hug and telling her to cheer up but decided against it. He still had a hard time reading the woman's moods and her fist hurt like hell. She would talk to him when and if she was ready. Instead he smiled and handed her the second bottle with a cheerful "Hey Sakura! What's up?"

Minutes later, Naruto is back at the bar, telling himself he needs to talk to Sasuke in the morning. No way in hell was Sakura in love with him. So obviously Sasuke was pushing her away yet again. Naruto figured it was time he got over himself and told their team-mate how he really felt. In the meantime he had his own confessing to do and for once the brave Uzumaki felt in need of liquid courage. Hinata was due to arrive in an hour or so. He figured he should be able to toss a few back before then. He's aware he won't get drunk, his healing abilities are far too good for that, however it does seem to quell the nasty case of nerves he's sudden started to experience. And when he finally spots Hinata, her back to him as she speaks with her old team mates he makes his way over hoping to surprise her.

When he landed on her back, an arm slung over her shoulder Hinata freezes for a fraction of a second, sadness and elation battling each other as recognizes the scent of the man she has loved for most of her life. She relaxes, pushing the emotions down as she realizes she must be there for her best friend when he needs her most. She had been there for a while though Naruto had only just seen her. She had watched the conversation with Sakura and had seen the barrage of drinks he had consumed afterwards. Obviously the man was drunk and in pain and she needed to get him home before he did something stupid. She slid an arm beneath his and slowly pushed him towards the exit.

Naruto was not drunk though when he stumbled and landed with an arm over the slender shoulders of the Hyuga, the unique blend of lilacs and vanilla that she wore overtook his senses. When her arm slid around his chest and pushed him toward the doorway he mentally shook himself. He knew he should tell her he was okay but part of him thought it would be a great way to get her alone. Then he could tell her.

Of course all his noble plans went out the window when they landed on his bed and the only thing he could think of as he felt the tight curve of her buttocks against his crotch wiggling as she tried to escape his grasp was, "Finally hime, I have you where I want you." Her struggling stopped immediately and he knew...

_Shit I said that out loud!_


	5. Together

_Finally hime, I have you where I want you._

Hinata's heart soared as he said the words. Though her head knew they were not meant for her, her heart rejoiced a little even while it ached for his pain. He was hurting...she knew it. How could he not? She understood the pain of unrequited love. She knew it was not something you could turn off easily. If it was that simple she would have found a way to turn off her own feelings and would have moved on. Instead here she was once again wanting to save him, knowing she was not enough to do it on her own but willing to do whatever it took to buy him that extra time necessary so he could be strong again on his own.

His embrace loosened momentarily as the words left his lips and she took advantage of the opportunity to pull away only to turn her body around as a quiet and somewhat tortured voice said, "Don't go." She lifted a small hand to gently caress his cheek, reveling in the feel of his deceptively soft whiskers as they came into contact with her fingertips. Pale eyes met blue eyes in the moonlit darkness and she whispered back, "I won't," as she lightly kissed his forehead, the tip of his nose and finally came to rest on his lips.

He knew he couldn't let her leave nor could he let things continue at the rate they were going. She deserved so much more. He needed to talk to her, to tell her how much he loved her, how he had probably always loved her but hadn't known it. He wanted to apologize to her and make it up to her with romantic dates and chaste kisses, but most of all he wanted to promise to spend the rest of his life with her at his side. So many things he needed to say and then she kissed him.

There is a moment in life when everything you know changes. Things you thought you understood suddenly became crystal clear and they are so much more than you could ever have imagined. This was one such moment. To Naruto, Hinata's kiss imparted a promise of love that, until that moment, he could not have fathomed. It ignited a flame in him that no amount of common sense could douse and he shifted, pinning her against the bed with the lower half of his body while lightly caressing her jaw line as he returned the kiss.

Hinata managed to hold back a moan as she felt the firmness of his erection against her inner thighs but was unable to stop her treacherous body as it strained upwards. The moan finally broke loose as she felt Naruto respond to the invitation by lowering his caress to her breast. His touch was tentative at first but her moan seem to give him confidence. He pushed himself up to look into her eyes as he reached for the zipper of her jacket. When she offered no resistance he quickly removed the article of clothing. He cupped her breast, his thumb grazed her sensitive nipple eliciting another deep moan that he answered with one of his own as he lowered his lips to tease the sensitive nub through the silk of her blouse.

Patience, the virtue that had served her over the years had all but disappeared by this time and any evidence of self-consciousness disappeared as she moved her pelvis against him trying to gain some relief but to no avail. Unable to quell the urge any longer she pushed him over and ran her fingers along the waist of his pants until she located the zipper. She paused, looking at Naruto as if for permission, a look of absolute longing on her face and he felt himself harden even more as he understood her intent. He nodded. She stood then, watching as he slid off first his shirt, pants and then finally boxers to reveal a body made lean by years of training. A touch of her natural reserve returned, doing battle with her desire, as she peeled away clothing with trembling hands.

Naruto gasped as the last article fell. Though he had seen her years before at the waterfall as she danced naked in the moonlight she had been a mere child. The slight curves had become pronounced and a breathless, "Beautiful," escaped his lips as he gazed at her. The words gave her courage and she knelt, her knees on either side of his thighs. The ache, which had dulled as her confidence left was back with a vengeance. This time when she met his eyes it was not with a question but a promise. She lowered herself onto him, her warmth encasing him until she met with resistance. He grabbed her hips, torn between not wanting to hurt her and alternately wanting to bury himself in her. She had no such reservations. Inexperienced though she was her body had picked up a natural rhythm. With each movement she came closer to breaking the final barrier and when she could no longer stand the tension she lowered her body with no restraint, the resulting pain forgotten as she felt him fill her.

He gasped as she encased him, struggling to hold back. He wanted the feeling to last and yet conversely he needed something more. She seemed to understand this and started to move. At first she moved slowly but then as the pressure built she sped up. A low growl escaped his throat as he finally gave up and thrust upwards to meet her resulting in a throaty moan from the Hyuga. The sudden action caused her insides to spasm and he lost all control. The sensation of the warm fluid filling her drove her over the edge and she moaned his name as they climaxed together.

Content, she rested against his sweat covered chest. It wasn't until he spoke to her that he realized she had fallen asleep there. Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around her and drew a sheet up over them. Within a few minutes, he too had fallen asleep, a happy smile on his face.


	6. A Baka Finds His Way

_Four weeks later…_

"You're serious?" Naruto frowned, an expression so rare Kakashi's one visible eyebrow raised.

"Got the hawk today. The Hokage wants us to stay and help with the new genins until Gaara's crew gets back from Kumo."

"How long?" The frown disappeared but Kakashi could tell he wasn't happy with the change in plans.

"Something wrong Naruto?" Kakashi sat down beside him. Naruto didn't respond right away but gazed silently out over the red sea of sand that surrounded the great walls of Suna.

After a while a slow smile crept over his face and he turned to face his former sensei. "Nope, not unless you call wanting to be home wrong."

Now Kakashi was really curious. Over the years Naruto and Gaara had become close friends and normally enjoyed the time spent together. Never had he heard Naruto show displeasure when the opportunity to extend that time arose. He was tempted to ask why exactly Naruto was in a rush to get home but was afraid of what the answer might be. He sincerely hoped it wasn't another prank. Tsunade was so upset over the last one she put him in charge of a group of genins and had them chase the old ladies' cat for a week. He'd spent that same week whining to anyone and everyone about the unfairness of his punishment but there had been no further stunts since then. Kakashi thought he had probably learned his lesson but you never could tell with Naruto. They didn't call him Konoha's most unpredictable ninja for nothing.

Curiosity won. "Who are you and what have you done with Naruto?"

The blonde ninja laughed for a moment and once again Kakashi noticed something different. The laughter was softer, more natural and his face seemed almost peaceful.

"Nothing, nothing at all. " He paused, the smile still lighting his blue eyes. "I'm moving when I get home…my parents old place. Baa-chan is looking after the details for me, getting it cleaned up and all that stuff. She figured she could have it done by the time we got back and I could take my stuff over when I get back. I was kinda looking forward to getting settled in."

Kakashi remembered his former sensei's home. It was large home by Konoha's standards and seemed like an awful handful for a young man who had lived in one room for most of his life. "That's a big place for one person, lots of work too. Are you sure you're up to it?"

A serene look came over Naruto's face as he ignored the question and posed one of his own. "Have you ever thought about getting married…kids? Eh Kakashi?"

"That's out of the blue. Why?"

"Just curious." He sat patiently waiting for Kakashi's answer.

Caught off guard by Naruto's unusual mood he responded honestly. "I have…I do. It's hard being a ninja though. It takes a lot out of you emotionally and I've always wondered if I would have anything left to give a wife, kids. It's only after the last few years, with all the changes, the good ones at least, that I've started to seriously think about it. So yeah…why?"

"I'm thinking about having a family."

Kakashi felt his heart sink after the words left Naruto's lips. He could tell by his sound of his voice that Naruto was serious. Under normal circumstances he would have been more than happy to hear those words from the young man but he knew who the boy had always admired and he was pretty damn sure that even if _she_ had an inclination to become Mrs. Uzumaki it would not be a good thing for Naruto. Immediately he started formulating arguments as to why now would not be the right time for Naruto to think about marriage. Then it struck him…_oh my god it's Naruto. He never listens_! The masked ninja pinched his brow as he felt the first twinges of a developing headache.

Naruto grinned as he watched Kakashi's face grow paler by the second until he finally groaned, a hand to his forehead. Laughing, he reached over and slapped the masked ninja's leg. "It's ok. NOT with Sakura!"

"Thank god! I was trying to figure out how much work you'd actually get between hospital stays." The silver-haired man heaved a sigh of relief before frowning at the blonde. "But then who?"

Naruto took a moment to think about whether he was ready to share his news. He hadn't even had a chance to speak to the woman in question, not since that amazing night they had spent together. The next morning he had awakened to find her gone and an irritated Sakura at the door screaming that he needed to move his ass as they had a mission. Though he had missed Hinata and was really looking forward to talking about their future the mission had given him an opportunity to think long and hard about all his goals and somewhere in last month he had realized that something had become more important to him that becoming Hokage. He wanted someone to come home to, someone to share his dreams with but not just any someone. He wanted Hinata.

It was true that he had intended to take things slow with the woman. Though she had outgrown most of her shyness, she still reacted quite noticeably when she came into physical contact with him so he had thought slow would be the right route to take. He had not taken into account that the usually reserved raven haired beauty might actually be hiding an extremely passionate nature. His cheeks reddened slightly as he recalled exactly how much she had hidden of herself before that night.

Kakashi watched the slight blush appear on Naruto's face and knew that something momentous had occurred. He was pretty sure he knew the "what" but he was still struggling with the "who". The question was did he want to push for an answer or perhaps would it be more fun to do some espionage work when he got home. He could think of a few people who would be willing to help him. Hell, they might even be able to get some wagers going. Everybody knew she was a sucker for a good bet. Ah, the possibilities were endless!

Then he looked at the unadulterated joy on the boy's face and he knew he couldn't risk sullying that joy. Instead he spoke as a father might, "Be sure you're marrying for the right reasons Naruto. Give it time to make sure it's real and not just about sex." The deepening color on Naruto's cheeks confirmed his suspicions. "Good sex is great but if you're going to have something solid you need love…real love. Anything other than that won't survive our lifestyle so take your time and be sure."

"I'm sure. I was pretty sure months ago but I'm real sure now." As each word tumbled out of his former student's mouth he found himself hoping that she was just as sure. "She's special Kakashi. I mean I knew that years ago but somehow I just didn't get how special until a while ago." He pulled a small square box out of his pocket and fumbled with the latch briefly before handing it to Kakashi with an embarrassed grin. Gaara had it made for me. It's a stone found in the rocks here and when I first saw one it reminded me of her. I plan on asking her to marry me once I get settled into the new place."

The opened box revealed one of the most beautifully crafted pieces of jewelry that Kakashi had ever seen. Atop the plain gold band sat an oval stone that at first glance seemed a flat white in colour but as he moved the ring to get a better look at it he saw a kaleidoscope of colors appear in the stone. "It's beautiful Naruto. What is it?"

"Gaara calls it opal." He answered as Kakashi handed him the box. "He says it has special meaning to the people of the sand. It represents true love and happiness. Before I heard that I had already decided that it was what I wanted. That, well that just sealed the deal."

"She's worth it Naruto?" Kakashi wanted him to be sure.

"She's beautiful, kind and loves me far more that I deserve." His eyes glistened with tears of happiness as he looked at the man who had witnessed so many firsts, both good and bad, with him throughout the years. The man returned his gaze and with a broad grin that lifted the sides of his mask responded.

"It's about time you baka. I was beginning to think maybe I'd ask Hiashi for her hand in marriage myself!"


	7. Hot Pink

_**A/N**_

Sorry for the length of time this took. Life sometimes gets in the way of the important things but hey thanks for reading and hope you continue to enjoy.

_**"Gaara calls it opal." He answered as Kakashi handed him the box. "He says it has special meaning to the people of the sand. It represents true love and happiness. Before I heard that I had already decided that it was what I wanted. That, well that just sealed the deal."**_

_**"She's worth it Naruto?" Kakashi wanted him to be sure.**_

_**"She's beautiful, kind and loves me far more that I deserve." His eyes glistened with tears of happiness as he looked at the man who had witnessed so many firsts, both good and bad, with him throughout the years. The man returned his gaze and with a broad grin that lifted the sides of his mask responded.**_

_**"It's about time you baka. I was beginning to think maybe I'd ask Hiashi for her hand in marriage myself!"**_

_Shit! _Sakura paused for a second before sliding into the shadows to fully absorb what she had just overheard. _Naruto, you can't move on without me! _Her inner voice cried angrily as she struggled to maintain her composure, _just a little time and I know you'll remember how much you love me. _

Kakashi watched as a myriad of emotions paraded across Sakura's face and his own inner voice groaned, suddenly understanding why she had hesitated instead of joining them for the end of their conversation. The strange look of determination that settled on her face further confirmed his suspicions.

"Sakura." He watched as the faraway look faded from her face only to be replaced by a smile.

"Hey...have you seen Naruto? I thought I heard him talking to you."

Kakashi leaned against a rock-cut, his arms folded over his chest, watching her intently for a moment before answering, " He was, he left to speak with Gaara I think. Sakura... why did you want Naruto?"

"I thought we could have a few drinks tonight since it's our last night. " She tried to pass but the jounin grabbed her arm and motioned for her to stay.

" No drinks tonights. A hawk came in from Lady Tsunade a few hours ago. Naruto and I have work to do here for at least another month. You, however, are needed at home so Temari and Kankuro will escort you back first thing tomorrow morning."

Sakura forced back the wave of anger that came over her as she realized she would not be able to work on winning Naruto back right away. Lately it seemed that every time she tried to spend time with him something would come up. She was positive that if she could just get him to drop his guard she could finally get him to understand that she did love him and more importantly, that he still loved her. A few drinks seemed a good way to do that. The last night in Suna seemed a good place for those few drinks. Now that wasn't likely to happen, not unless she could get Kakashi out of her face and find Naruto.

"Ah..ok. Well thanks." She tried again to pass and once again he countered with a firm hand gripping her forearm. She gasped, finally finding a target for the anger that had simmering beneath the surface since the morning after Naruto refused to accept her confession.

_Flashback_

_"_Oh my god Kakashi! It's five in the morning. You couldn't wait until the sun got up at least?" She grabbed a bottle of water and gulped.

"Sorry Sakura...last minute mission. They go with the line of work remember?" He winked as he jumped out of the reach of her powerful fists. "Can you grab Naruto on the way to the gates?" He was away before she could answer. Instead she channeled her irritation into pulling her gear together. After packing food for the trip along with a few extra ramen containers she headed towards Naruto's place, her mood greatly improved by the thought of spending more away time with the man.

As she approached the stairs to his apartment she heard the sound of a door shutting. She backed under the stairs with an evil grin and plans of giving the blonde man the scare of his life but was surprised to see a much smaller figure come bounding down the stairs, a satisfied smile on her face and pale eyes glowing. Sakura felt the morning's anger quickly returning as she waited for Hinata to disappear around the corner then climbed the stairs.

Luckily for Naruto he woke quickly when she knocked and agreed to be at the gates in fifteen minutes. He would have liked to have argued or maybe even whined a bit about leaving town so soon again but the murderous expression on Sakura's face was enough to silence any wise ass comment he might come up with. So he had opted for quiet acceptance and hightailed it back into his room before she found a way to work out her problems on him.

Once she had given him his orders she then stomped down the stairs and around the corner of the building wanting to escape from watchful eyes in case she lost control of the tears that were stinging her eyes. Blinded as she was she did not see the young man who was approaching from the other direction and walked into his chest with such force she was propelled backwards and would have landed on her behind had the man not reached out to steady her. She raised her eyes with the intent of letting loose on him but bit her tongue as she met a set of pale eyes that could only belong to a Hyuga. Tsunade would definitely kill her if she disrespected a member of the powerful clan so she apologized.

"My apologies as well. I was searching for Lady Hinata. You wouldn't have seen her by any chance?"

Sakura looked at the flat white eyes of the man in front of her and saw instead Hinata's gentle eyes as they had looked minutes before and the temper she had held in check flared. No way in hell was she losing to that mouse, even if it meant playing a little dirty.

"Actually," she said, an edge to her voice, "Try Uzumaki's place. I heard she spent the night there."

Then she left, but not before she saw the look of shock and distaste that came over the Hyuga's face. She smiled, feeling some of the anger drain away. Dealing with the fallout from that exchange should keep the shy girl away from Naruto and she could once again become the center of his universe.

_Present time_

"Sakura, let him go." Kakashi voice was gentle.

She glared at him as she flung her arm to the side, dislodging his grip and without a word marched off in the direction of downtown.

"That's trouble."He shivered. "That definitely can't be good."

He had no idea how right he was.


	8. The Will of Fire

_Meanwhile back in Konoha..._

As Ko waited to be acknowledged by the clan leader he silently cursed the clan he had been born into. For years the elders of the Hyuga had manipulated the clan leaders. They did so under the guise of advisors and generally they appeared to have the clan's best interest in mind. That is what Ko had been taught growing up and so, as a teenager and guard for a much younger Hinata, he was happy when they started to push for her to be removed as heir apparent. He loved the girl and though he would not wish the Caged Bird Seal to be placed on anyone he thought it would be an easier life for her. She was far too gentle to lead. That was before Pain.

He had always known she had a soft spot for the young jinchuriki. After school he would always find her watching the youth. Once the youth had even rescued the girl from bullies and been beaten for his efforts. Hinata had tugged at Ko's hand, trying to get him to aid the child but afraid he would be disciplined for allowing the girl out of his sight he had ignored her pleas and left the boy bruised and unconscious. Hinata had cried ceaselessly on the way home until he had promised to go back and check on Naruto and he did, ashamed of his earlier cowardice but the boy was long gone. Both he and the young Hyuga were relieved when he arrived at school the next day sporting a black eye but otherwise seeming like his normal rambunctious self.

Then came Pain. The attack was brutal. Explosions rocked the Hidden Leaf killing many outright and leaving twice that injured among the rubble. Though it was easily apparent they could not beat the threat on their own the remaining ninja forces of Konoha fought, tooth and nail, to hold off until help could arrive. When it came it was in the form of a sixteen year old boy, that same boy who had saved little Hinata.

Pain recalled all his forces to concentrate on Naruto, leaving the others to watch helplessly as per Naruto's request. It became clear almost immediately that he knew what he was doing when he asked them to stay out of the way. He fought a great battle, destroying five of six Pains before the sixth took him down after the death of Fukasaku. Ko had watched, heart sinking as their savior lay beaten unaware that Hinata had seen as well. He noticed only as a purple flash flew past him. By the time he realized who it was she was long gone and he could only watch what he assumed would be her death.

Instead she had battled. It had not been a long battle but she had managed a hit before she was taken down. Eventually Naruto had defeated the final Pain and then miraculously won over Nagato, who's last act had been to restore the lives of those killed in the village.

Surprisingly, Hiashi had seemed proud of her actions. This simple act had stirred concern amongst the elders but they seemed to settle down when it became apparent that regardless of pride he still had no intention of restoring her rights as heir. He had thought it was over.

A month before, he had been on a mission and a younger cousin, Kosetsu, had been assigned to assist when needed with Lady Hinata. Generally speaking this meant being available to perform escort duty at special clan events as well as acting as a messenger when her presence was required. He was in the process of performing the latter duty when the Haruno woman had suggested he check at Naruto's place. He had gone to the man's home and returned home when no one had answered. Though he wouldn't have admitted it aloud he may have used less than enough force when knocking. He was not sure how he would feel about someone disturbing his sleep, he was damn sure he didn't want to know how a half demon felt.

Hinata had already arrived home when he got there. After informing her that she was to meet with Hiashi in an hour he had been called to the council chambers where the three elders awaited him. They'd questioned him on the young woman's whereabouts and he had recited where he had been, unaware of the consequences of his words had heard the sharp intake of air after he repeated Sakura's words. Two things came to mind as he maintained a level gaze. Perhaps he should have edited the last bit and then again, why did they seem so concerned?

They had excused him but not before he had noted the tense atmosphere. Worried that he had done something wrong he had waited for Ko's return and relayed what had happened to him. Ko had thanked him, assured him he had done nothing wrong but suggested that he not repeat anything from the conversation until Ko himself had done some investigating.

Looking back that had been his first mistake, the second had been not going to Hiashi with the information that he had right away. It was too late to worry about past decisions now though. He couldn't change the fact that, despite the love and protection he had offered Hinata, he had never truly been there for her in the past. For the first time he found himself in a position where he could truly perform his duties and then it came to him, was this the will of fire...this burning desire to do something...to stand for something...

He stepped forward, catching the leader's eye as he did so. The man sat back, laying down his pen as he did so and meetind Ko's gaze with an intimidating gaze of his own. Ko shivered but he did not back down. Instead, he walked back to door, closed it firmly and erected a sound barrier jutsu before turning to a very confused Hiashi.

"We have a big problem Hiashi-sama..."


	9. Politics

"Sit." Resignation coloured the tone of her voice as she mentally cursed Shizune for the last minute meeting with Hiashi and Ko, his daughter Hinata's guard. She gazed longingly at the unopened bottle of sake that sat to her left. _Damn, she had bad timing. _Had he been but five minutes later he would have missed Shizune and Tsunade could have locked the door and drank away her problems, In theory, that was how it should have worked. Of course things very seldom worked out the way she wanted them too. That was a fact she was all too familiar with.

Sighing deeply, she turned her attention to the men in front of her. Her frown deepened as she noted the poorly hidden look of unease on Hiashi's face. His companion's expression mirrored his own .

The fact that he had come to her so late in the day with no appointment and wore an expression that was not his normal staid self was enough to ensure her sobriety for at least a few more minutes. "So what requires my attention so bad Hiashi-_chan?"_ An evil grin lit her face as she spit out the honorific.

"Lady Hokage, I have a clan issue that I require assistance with." The smirk disappeared from her face instantly when he did not react to her insult.

Tsunade leaned back, her face blank as she considered what type of disaster could have prompted the proud man to approach her on clan business. It was something that clan heads tended to keep to themselves, preferring to ask advice or assistance from their own elder council. So long as the problem did not involve outside forces the kages were normally content to allow the clans some autonomy. If Hiashi was approaching her there had to be some really serious trouble brewing. "We normally don't deal with clan issues but I'll hear you out. If necessary I will do what I can to help you. So what is it?"

Hiashi's shoulders slumped for a mere second before he forced them back up into the stiff posture that Hyuga men strive for. "The elders..." The blond woman tensed, Anytime the elders were involved it spelled trouble. The last time the elders had interfered a whole clan had very nearly disappeared from the face of the earth. Since the 4th Shinobi War had ended and Sasuke, the one remaining Uchiha had returned to his home, there had been a certain calm amongst the various villages and their citizens. If she, as Hokage, was unable to catch trouble in the making before it became an actual problem the village would come under censor from the other powers. She couldn't allow that to happen. This was starting to look like it was going to be a long night. With a resigned sigh she reached over and grabbed the bottle of sake and turned to the pair of Hyugas, "Drink anyone?"

"Sooo," Tsunade finished the last of the sake and put her empty glass next to the others. It was well past midnight before the men finished talking and she thought she had a firm grasp of the situation. "You're telling me your elders, your own father have threatened the safety of your eldest daughter for years and your answer to that was to treat her like a pariah?" She shook her head in disgust. "What kind of man are you?"

Though the expression on his face never changed there was a hint of strain apparent in his voice as he answered. "I did what I thought was best to protect Hinata. The strength of our bond was not enough to protect my wife so I knew it would not be enough to protect the girls. The elders early on recognized that Hinata had her mother's quiet strength. They had had a problem with Hitomi's after she made a point of letting them know that the division of clans was an archaic ritual and had no longterm place within the future of the clan." A bittersweet smile settled on his lips. "She was a shy one but always spoke her mind when it came to something important. Hinata is a lot like her. I know," he interrupted her before she could ask the question again. "If I cared for one so much, why not the other? The truth is I saw Hinata growing up and each day she was more like her mother and that would get the elders talking. They were always ready to talk of her failures and point out her weaknesses. They didn't want her as leader because they feared she would somehow bring her mother's plans to fruition. I wasn't thinking beyond her physical safety to be honest. There were so many things she had to deal with I just didn't want her to have to deal with the strain of leadership." He paused. "If she didn't feel that she was good enough to lead the clan then she would settle for something less. Perhaps a safe arranged marriage would be enough for her. Then she would be protected from the politics. Hanabi was a safe option as a leader for them. She was raised in the strictest of Hyuga's methods and as she was an infant when her mother passed, had never had a chance to feel anything other than that method. She didn't have the struggles that Hinata had. Physically she was a lot stronger than my eldest."

Tsunade wanted to reach out and strangle the man for his methods but she restrained herself. She needed to make sure that she was clear about everything. "If Hanabi is the heir why are they now a threat to Hinata, why are they bothering with her after all these years?"

"That's what I thought when Ko first mentioned that he was worried about Hinata's safety. His nephew served Hinata while Ko was out of the village on business. The elders sent him to inform Hinata of an early meeting with the council and found that she was not at home. He went into town to see if he could find her and Ms Haruno suggested that he check at Uzumaki's residence. However he wasn't able to find her there so he just went back home. Luckily she was back by the time he arrived home. He was summoned to explain why he had taken so long and he told them. He's young and thought to impress by giving a detailed report from what I understand. He was most concerned that he had did something wrong after he realized how intense the mood seemed to get after he finished. He went to Ko when he got back and the two of them have looked into why the elders are so interested in my daughter's comings and goings again."

"Ok, I see where you might have some concerns but if you're not reinstating her as heir then what's the problem?" She sensed there was still something he needed to tell her but was hesitating for some reason. She decided a push was needed. "That doesn't seem quite enough to cause the great Hiashi any stress. She made a move to stand ,"If that's all..."

"No ..okay...NO! There's more, I just didn't want to say anything until we have some facts. All we have now is bits and pieces and some healthy supposition based on conversations overheard by Kosetsu, who has in turn, been passing them to Ko."

"Ah, and I assume we see why you are here. Ko?" She waited for the younger man to continue. He bowed his head with respect before addressing the Hokage.

"Kosetsu was worried about possible fallout from interfering with clan business initially but once I assured him I would take responsibility for anything he told me. He was immediately relieved and agreed to help. It took him a couple of weeks to get back to me with anything. I got a message from him then that said he had proof they were up to something. In addition to that, he had proof that this was not the first time they had been interested in the young lady." Tsunade frowned.

"What proof was he able to get?"

Ko's face bowed again, this time with something akin to pain. "I don't know Lady Hokage. He was sent out on a clan mission that evening and did not return."

Her frown intensified, "So when will he be back?"

"That's just it," Hiashi answered this time. "My father, on behalf of the council, reported the death of one Kosetsu Hyuga by accidental drowning during the undertaking of a clan mission early this morning. Ko came to me with this information when he heard about the death of his nephew."

Tsunade could see that Ko was taking the loss of his clansmen hard but she needed to ask him one last question before she decided upon a plan of attack.

"Ko, I thank you for bringing this to our attention. I need to know one thing and one thing only." The once grieving man lifted his head and gestured for her to go ahead. "Do you have any idea why they might be targeting Hinata?"

He glanced once at Hiashi's rigid back and then back at the blonde woman whose fists were registered as deadly weapons and nodded.

"They are concerned with her emotional attachment to a certain young man and what it could do to the clan."

"Seriously?" She laughed, "Naruto I'm guessing. Nothing to worry about there. Number one the boy is clueless and number two he's always had the biggest crush on Sakura. I can't see him being a problem."

"If he did indeed have a crush on the Haruno woman I suspect we would not be in this position. I'm pretty sure that hellion would not let him get away with other women sleeping over."

_Damn you Naruto!_


	10. More Sake Please

_**A/N Thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows. For those who are still reading I just wanted to say I am aiming to post at least one chapter a week. I hope you continue to enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.**_

_**A big THANK YOU to Kishimoto for such wonderful characters!**_

_**Damn you Naruto!**_

Though Tsunade's initial thought was to curse the boy she had grown to love, she couldn't help being happy that he may have finally realized the young Hyuga's feelings. She still found it hard to believe that he was as clueless as he appeared to be given that most of the village was aware of the young woman and her unrequited love for Naruto. The same people were also aware that he harboured an ongoing crush for Tsunade's student, Sakura but they continued to hold out hope for the raven haired beauty. Her presence in his life since the 4th war had appeared to have tamed the worst of his prankster nature and helped to bring out a much wiser, if somewhat still hyperactive young man.

If indeed, he and Hinata were together and the Hyuga elders were plotting against her there would be hell to pay. As grown up as he had become he still ran hot when it came to those he cared about. Thankfully she wouldn't have to worry about him for at least another couple of weeks. If necessary, she would extend his stay in Suna even longer. He wouldn't be happy but it would hopefully allow them to conclude an investigation and take care of any problems before he set foot back in Konoha.

Satisfied that she could handle the Naruto side of things she then turned her attention to the two men in front of her. "So what exactly do you need my help with?

Some of the tension left Hiashi's body as he exhaled, seemingly unaware that he had actually been holding his breath. "Thank you Lady Tsunade." He bowed his head briefly to display his gratitude. "I would like to send Hinata out of the village." He shivered as the room temperature suddenly dropped.

"So you would go so far as to separate the two?"Hiashi quickly realized that he had spoken without explaining his reasoning, an error he did not commonly make. He would have liked to blame it on the lateness of the hour but he knew that was not the case. For the first time in many years he had let fear for his child get the best of him.

Though it appeared to many that the clan head was cold and often neglectful of his eldest child, this was not his intent. He loved both of his children with all his heart but years of conditioning by his father, Hideki and the other elders had taught him logic and leadership. The training had been sadly lacking when it came to expressing love to a pair of little girls. Their mother, Hitori, had tried and perhaps had she lived longer she may have completely gotten rid of the cold exterior that Hiashi projected. She had, however, succeeded in teaching him a little about love and though it had taken a long time for him to acknowledge those feelings toward his children, he had eventually admitted to himself that they were indeed every bit as important to him as his wife had once been.

Recognizing the depth of Hinata's feelings for the young Uzumaki he had made a conscious decision to step back. Though he had been guilty of emotionally manipulating Hinata's youth as a means of protecting her, he could not bring himself to stifle the one thing that seemed to inspire his eldest, her love for Naruto Uzumaki. It was most likely his decision to do so that had brought them to this point. Still, he didn't regret that decision. So when he answered Tsunade she immediately heard the truth in his words and visibly relaxed.

"This has nothing to do with separating and everything to do with protecting Hinata until we get down to the bottom of this." He nodded to Ko, who slipped a folder out of his jacket and slid it across the table to the Hokage. "This is what we have so far but it's nowhere near enough to remove an elder from our council. We need the extra time, maybe a few weeks or months even to get enough proof to ensure that they can't talk their way out of this. Up until now I've tried to solve this at the cost of Hinata's happiness but I can no longer interfere. She's grown and it's time I let her make her own choices but I can't do that safely until I deal with this."

Tsunade glanced down at the folder, frowning. "Is Naruto in danger?"

"No," Hiashi answered slowly and with a bit of bitterness. "His status as a jinchuruki and savior of Konoha protects _him. _No one would dare raise a hand against him. Hinata, on the other hand, is considered dangerous to the Hyuga way of life."He paused and when he spoke the bitterness was gone and a small smile lit the normally staid face. "It's funny. All the years I put that child down. I badgered her for her weaknesses or what I thought was weakness and she turned out to be one of the strongest women I know. If she were to head the clan when I retire she would make changes that would unite the Hyuga. I think that's what they're afraid of." He glanced at the blonde woman who appeared to be in shock. "I know." He spoke quietly, "I was a bad parent. I could use the excuse that it was for her own good but it doesn't really matter, it was wrong and it was useless because here I am right back where I started.."

Reaching under her desk Tsunade pulled out another bottle of sake, handed it to Hiashi and was surprised when he lifted the bottle and took a large swallow. In the meantime she looked over the contents of the folder as she mulled over what options were available to her..

The strained silence was broken by Ko. "Is there something we can do to protect Lady Hinata, Hokage?" Despite his grief at losing Kosetsu, Hinata was still foremost in his thoughts. He had been by her side for many years and had grown to love her like a brother. He knew that, despite his upbringing as a loyal Hyuga, Hinata would always come first to him.

The blonde Sannin carefully went about sealing the contents of the file in a scroll, Once this was completed she raised her eyes, first meeting Ko's and then Hiashi's. "I'll send her on a mission. I know," She interrupted them before they could speak. "I know she isn't on active duty anymore but I can send her on a diplomatic mission." She looked at Hiashi, a strange intensity lighting her eyes as she spoke. "The mission will get her out of the village. That's what's important. By the way," She added, "You're going to have to trust me on this one. The less either of you know the better it will be for everyone."

After the men left Tsunade sat staring at the sealed scroll beneath her hand and sighed. _My god, I hate politics! _She thought as she pulled out a scroll and penned a quick note. A hare faced Anbu appeared almost immediately.

"Hokage." Hare inclined his head.

"Hare, I need a message delivered. Solo mission, s-class, time is of the essence."

Hare once again lowered his head while accepting the scroll.

Tsunade hoped she was making the right decision. She was trusting that the alliance from the 4th war was strong enough to get her the truth. She was also trusting that the man Naruto thought of as family would aid her in obtaining that truth. If she was wrong the backlash could well destroy the Allied Forces they had worked so hard to build. If that happened, a few snivelling Hyugas would be the least her worries.


	11. Truths

Hinata pulled the last of her supplies together and tucked them neatly into her backpack. Though it had been nearly a year since she had been out of the village and even longer since she'd been on a mission, she was pleased to know that some of her training had remained second nature. It was too bad that her observation skills hadn't stayed sharp as well. Perhaps she would have seen how bad an idea it was for her to sleep with Naruto. Sure it had been wonderful at the time and for days afterwards she had felt warmed by the afterglow. As the afterglow faded though she began to realize that her bid to relieve what she thought was Naruto's pain that evening a couple of months ago had shown her exactly how much she was in love with him and how hard it was going to be watching him move on with Sakura, something she was sure would happen eventually. Naruto never gave up and if Sakura was what he wanted then he would eventually have her. Besides, Sakura would realize how special Naruto was, how could she not? In fact, Hinata had even overheard her talking to Ino about the trip to Suna and how she was kind of sad to have left Naruto behind. This had both saddened and gladdened her leaving her emotions on a constant roller coaster. So when she had been given the initial summons from Tsunade requesting her temporary return to duty she had been excited, looking at it as a welcome distraction from her current situation. The closer the trip got the more she began to suspect it was going to take more than one mission to distract her but one was a good start. Throwing her pack over one shoulder she headed off to get medical clearance so Tsunade could assign her two escorts. With any luck someone other than Sakura would be on intake duty today.

It had been two months since she confessed to Naruto, one month since she had left Suna alone and she was no closer to winning over the baka. She had hoped he would have been home by now but Tsunade had extended his stay yet again and her sensei had outright refused to give her any information as to when he might be back. Frustrated and just a little bored as Sasuke seemed reluctant to spend any time with her alone, she had signed up for overtime at the hospital. As if that wasn't enough, she had checked the appointment book and found her first patient was none other than the woman who she believed was responsible for her frustration, Hinata Hyuga. _Yep, it was definitely shaping up to be a great day._

Hinata dropped the pack with a sigh of relief. It had been far too long since she had seriously trained was what occurred to her as she wiped sweat from her brow. She was about to sit when the door opened and a voice she recognized all too well spoke her name. _Just my luck._

"Hinata." Sakura had managed to use a professional if not exactly friendly voice. "Come on in." She gestured for the Hyuga to sit on the examining table. "Mission medical eh? I didn't think you were on active duty anymore?" She didn't really care for the answer but it was still her job to put the patients at ease. She cursed to herself as she noted the fleeting frown on the other woman's face as well as the resulting flucuation in her chakra levels. _Damn, I forgot. _Hinata had walked away from ninja duty after the 4th war and the loss of her cousin, Neji. Back then the eleven remaining members of the Konoha Twelve had been close. The lose of one of their number had been enough to unite them in victory and the ensuing grief that followed that victory. Eventually they had moved on and all except Hinata had returned to their life as ninjas. It had been a much different world they had returned to. For the most part their missions were peaceful but that didn't matter to Hinata. She couldn't bring herself to return to the life that Neji was no longer part of. Instead, she had become a teacher at the academy. As a result Sakura had lost touch with her and had not even realized until recently that Naruto was still close to her, too close it would seem, given what she had overheard in Suna.

"Still not on active duty." Hinata answered with a slight smile. "Diplomatic training mission."

Sakura acknowledged her response with a nod and then turned to pull some paperwork from Hinata's file. She asked some general questions about any recent illnesses then asked the woman to lay down so they could start the physical exam. Once she had Hinata as comfortable as was possible on the narrow medical table she held her hands, palms facing down over Hinata's face. A green glow emanated from her hands, casting an erie light over the other girl's features. Sakura's examination ran from head to toe, then reversing the order to complete. She did this three times, each time the frown on her face deepened. Finally she finished and turned to make some notes. At the last minute, she seemed to change her mind and looked back at Hinata.

"I know." Pale lavender eyes met bright emerald. "I was pretty sure anyway." Her eyes lowered as she sat up and straightened her vest.

"Hinata," Suddenly it was the girl who used to be her friend, her sympathy obvious. "What are you going do?"

Sakura was surprised by the sudden smile. "I'll decide the details while I'm away but I'm keeping it." She saw the worried look on Sakura's face and added, "I won't complicate anyone's life. I just have to figure out a way to make it all work. I won't deny a father his child but I don't want someone with me just for a child."

The old Sakura knew the child had to be Naruto's. She also knew he loved Hinata and would likely be in seventh heaven over a child...his own family but the new Sakura, the one that wanted him was desperate. To her it looked like her last chance had just flown out the window. Hinata saw the mixed emotions cross Sakura's face and knew suddenly that her original assumption had been correct. It had happened sooner than she expected but it was obvious that the woman in front of her was now in love with her team mate. Hinata slid off the table and put her arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Don't worry. I'll figure it out but I need a favour from you."

Sakura glanced up at her old friend and wondered how things had gotten to this point, how they had gone so horribly wrong. She knew they were ninjas and that happy endings were few and far between but why couldn't they just have a little happiness. She could see Naruto and Hinata's little one and hers and Sasuke's attending the academy, becoming team mates and hopefully even friends. That wouldn't ever happen though because Sasuke didn't want her. Then something occurred to her. Did she really love Naruto or was this all because of Sasuke? It was all too confusing, too much to process at one time. She leaned into the comfort of Hinata's warm embrace for a moment before stepping away and straightening up her scrubs. "I can definitely do a favour for an old friend." She said this with the utmost conviction. _This was the least she could do_ said her guilty conscience.

"I want you to leave the pregnancy results off the medical." Hinata's face was serious.

"Hinata..." Sakura started to shake her head.

"I know it's asking alot but I really need to go on this mission. I need to get away and if the Hokage knows I'm pregnant..." Though she was smiling Sakura could see her pale eyes pleading with her. She turned to the paperwork again and wrote a couple of notes before handing the package to the other woman.

Hinata leaned over and hugged the medic, her gratitude obvious. Sakura, feeling more and more guilty as each moment passed, pulled away, her face solemn. "Make sure you look after yourself out there."

"I have to, it's not just me I'm looking after." The pleading look disappeared leaving in it's place such a fierce look that Sakura shivered visibly. Thankfully Hinata did not notice her discomfort and after some quick words of advice in regards to her pregnancy she left, leaving a much relieved Sakura to finish up the rest of her shift.

By the end of the day Sakura was clear about two things. One, she was not doing anymore overtime for at least a month and two, she couldn't continue to chase Naruto. She didn't really love him, not the way Hinata did. He was just a way of escaping her biggest fear, her weakness. She did not want to be alone. Naruto had always been there for her and when she suddenly noticed that absence of that attention she had panicked. After seeing what Hinata was willing to do for what she thought was the happiness of the man she loved Sakura had finally been shamed into facing the truth. She was just glad she had realized it before it before she had caused any damage.

As she walked home the fatigue that she felt lifted and for the first time in months she smiled, thinking of the brother she loved and how happy he was going to be when Hinata told him.


	12. Terms of Endearment

**A/N**

**Hope you're still enjoying the story. Thank you for following, faving and/or reviewing. All of them are great motivators. I will apologize ahead of time in case there are any blatant grammatical or spelling errors, I have been awake for far too long.**

Hinata's hands shook as she left the hospital for Hokage Tower. The results of her test had come as no surprise. Though physically she felt perfectly fine, actually better than perfectly fine, there had been other indications that something was going on with her body. Suspecting she was pregnant but being in no rush to get confirmation she had avoided going to the doctor for as long as she could but when the mission was assigned she knew she couldn't put off knowing the truth for any longer.

Sakura being on duty had come as a surprise and though she'd initially been concerned about Sakura being the one to discover her secret she'd quickly realized that she could use that to her advantage. Sakura obviously cared enough for her team-mate to want what was best for him so all Hinata had to do was convince Sakura that she needed the time to figure that out. She didn't think it would be that hard as it was actually the truth and she had been right. Sakura had showed a little discomfort at the idea of not filing an accurate report but Hinata's assurances that she would come clean as soon as the mission was over seemed to satisy the medic. Now all she had to do was get through her meeting with Tsunade. After that she would be off to Kumo for at least two months, time enough to put some uninterrupted thought into her long term plans.

She hadn't really needed any time to think about her immediate plans. Those answers had come to her quickly. She would keep the baby, their baby, and she would tell Naruto when she returned from her mission. She would assure him that he could be as much a part of the child's life as he wanted but he owed her nothing. Her heart was torn at the thought of bearing his child while he moved on with someone else but given that she had taken advantage of his lonely state that night she would not expect anymore from him. That refusal to insist on anything more would likely be a huge thorn in the sides of the elders. Unmarried and pregnant was not a state that Hyuga's found themselves in and though she was no longer the heir to the clan she was expected to hold herself to a high standard. She fully expected there would be consequences for her disregard of that standard. Just in case those consequences involved being removed from the main house and sent to the branch house she needed to ensure that her child was not sealed even if that meant her denouncing her relationship with the Hyuga clan and fighting the age old rule that surround the Caged Bird Seal. It had always been their intent, Neji, hers and Naruto even, to get rid of the seal that bound most of the clan to a deceptive type of slavery. One that hid behind the guise of protecting the clans' secrets but was actually used as a means of discipline. With a child of her own on the way she needed to make that plan a priority. Unfortunately Neji was no longer around to help and Naruto was gone for an undisclosed amount of time so when she had been offered the mission she had thought of B.

After the war, the two remaining jinchuruki had remained close friends and as a result of her own friendship with Naruto she had become, if not close at least familiar with the bulky blonde. She was hoping he would be able to point her in the direction of a fuinjutsu specialist, someone who could in the short term, develop a counter seal that would block the more painful uses of the Caged Bird until she could find a long term solution. She would not allow her child to battle the same demons that had haunted Neji in his early years. That was her promise of a lifetime!

Shizune watched Hinata as she entered the office. She hadn't seen the young Hyuga in months and was surprised at how much she appeared to have changed. Despite outgrowing her almost crippling shyness she had continued to carry herself as if always seeking the shadows. Her pale skin had seemed to support this, never seeming to carry colour unless she was unfortunate enough to have been surprised by Naruto. The woman who entered the room stood taller, her pale cheeks were rosy and she wore a smile. It was the smile that Shizune found to be perhaps the biggest change in the young woman. She wanted to say that what she saw was happiness but that didn't seem to be quite right...content perhaps...not a common emotion in the tumultuous world of the ninja. Shizune wondered, not for the first time, how Naruto had never noticed this young woman.

The young woman in question acknowledged the Hokage's assistance as she dropped her pack, huffing slightly as she did so.

"Hyuga-sama."

Hinata glanced up again, dimples appearing in her cheeks as the smile grew. "Hinata is fine, Shizune-san."

Shizune responded with a slight smile of her own. "I shall let Tsunade know that you are here."

Tsunade motioned for the two men to close the door. Her nose twitched slightly at the smell that was seemed to follow the team's only non-human member. Kiba grinned apologetically. "Sorry Lady Hokage. Akamaru had a little bit of a run in with one of Shino's new strains. Apparently they have an interesting defence tactic."

She accepted his apology with a nod. "Thanks for coming in early. I wanted to go over some details before Hinata gets here."

A frown appeared above Shino's signature dark glasses. "I take it there are details she will not be privy to?"

She nodded again and then there was a short silence before she took a deep breath. "As you're aware you are to escort and guard Hinata while she is in Kumo. That's what Hinata has been told. That is not actually the mission. The teaching assignment does not actually exist. It is just a reason to remove Hinata from the village for a period for her safety." The hokage sat down, contemplating a drink before deciding against one, at least for now. "There is a strong possibility that Hyuga elders are concerned that Hinata may, in the near future, be capable of making changes to the status quo in the Hyuga clan. We have information leading us to believe that they may be attempting an assassination in the near future..."

"Assholes!" Kiba growled. "They truly cannot let that girl be."

She shot him a look that shut him up immediately though she secretly agreed with the comment. "In addition we have discovered that the previous two attempts at kidnapping Hinata by Kumo were most definitely arranged by the someone here in Konoha. I've spoken with the Raikage and after some research into his father's records he was able to tell me that they were contacted by someone in Konoha in regards to a deal that would give Kumo the Byakugan they sought. Money changed hands but either the names of the contact were removed or they had never been known."

"Why the choice to send Hinata to Kumo then?" Shino sounded a little confused.

The blonde leaned back and looked intently at the two young men. "You're not actually."

Both men's eyebrows lifted.

"You will be met at the eastern border of Lightning by B in seven days time. Yes I know it's longer than you would normally take but B can't be there until then and I don't want to risk you being met by anyone other than him. So once you get there I need you to send a hawk. I will send one back with anything new we have and you can just tell Hinata that there's been a delay and you are to camp out until he arrives."

"And you trust the same group that kidnapped a kid?" Kiba's concern was evident.

"Yes I do. So should you. Do you forget how close Naruto is to B? I can't see A risking the bond between the two villages. However," she leaned forward, her golden-brown eyes intense. "No one other than B. If anyone else shows up I want the three of you back here immediately. Got it?

Both men nodded as a knock was heard and the hokage's dark haired assistant appeared in the now open doorway.

"Lady Tsunade, Hinata's here." She turned, ushering the dark haired woman into the room and pulling the door shut as she left.

The hokage smiled pleasantly at the final member of the old team eight as she went to hug both of her old friends. They had remained close after the breakup of their team but since Kiba and Shino had opted to remain in active duty it was uncommon to catch either of them in the village for any length of time. The last time Hinata had seen the boys had been the night she had seen Naruto. Tsunade gave them a few minutes to say hello then addressed Hinata giving her the details of the mission she believed she was going on. Once she had gone over the details she stood and directed the men to meet Hinata at the front gate in an hour. To Hinata she said simply, "Please wait here. I have someone who needs to speak with you urgently before you leave." Hinata nodded. While she waited she tried to come up with a list of people who might be interested in seeing her off but was unable to think of anyone other than perhaps one wacky, blond best friend. _Of course, there was no possible way it could be him...was there? _Hinata's insides churned as she contemplated the possibility that she would have to face Naruto before her trip. She immediately went into panic mode while her brain seemed unable to produce anything other than a silent voice screaming, "OHMIGOD!OHMIGOD!OHMIGOD!"

It came as a great surprise when she felt a hand on her shoulder interrupted her raging thoughts. An even bigger surprise came as she saw who it was and she heard those unfamiliar words of endearment... "Good morning Hina-chan."


	13. Hina-chan

Hiashi Hyuga was many things. Some were more obvious than others. He was a great shinobi, a good leader and at best, a passable father. Anyone who knew the Hyuga clan knew these things and had indeed witnessed proof at one time or another. What most didn't know was that his true genius was acting but then why wouldn't it be? From the day Hiashi had been born, minutes before his now deceased brother Hizashi, life had been all about appearances. Hiashi's father had raised his sons with an iron rod. By the time they reached the age of ten they had learned most of the cruel secrets that made up the clan's long history. In fact, they had even experienced some of them, the most painful being Hizashi's removal from the Main house and entrance into the Branch family at a very young age. The boys had hugged, tears streaming down their cheeks as their father had pulled the younger twin from his brother and handed him to the then head of the Branch house. For years the two had not seen more than a passing glimpse of each other but some kind members of the Branch family had carried correspondence back and forth between the two so their bond was not severed by the separation but actually grew. When their father stepped down to become a member of the Council of Elders and Hiashi became Clan Head, he quickly put his brother into a position that would allow them to work together on an ongoing basis. The men used their time in private to discuss their plans for the future of the clan. Plans that would eliminate the use of the Caged Bird and bring back equality to their family. In the presence of the elders however, they maintained their distance, their feelings seeming to be as cold as their pale eyes.

In time Hiashi was pressured to marry. All good Hyuga's produced heirs. He worried that a wife would impact his plans for change. A wife would be a distraction.A wife would be something they could use against him. He just didn't think he could handle the ongoing worry that somehow, something that he did would be the cause of hurt. In truth, it was his order of birth that had caused his brother's pain and though Hizashi reassured him often that it was not his fault he still carried a seed of guilt.

The first sign that he was losing his battle for bachelorhood came when his brother was preparing to marry his love, a young woman named Hitomi. Hizashi had met her on a mission. Her family were distant relatives of the Konoha Hyugas and were considered a good match for one of the Branch family. Hiashi was happy for his brother and once he got to know his sister-in-law to be he began to wonder if perhaps he needed to rethink his views on marriage. Initially it was just an abstract thought, a maybe someday kind of thought. But then Hitomi's family came to go over wedding plans and everything changed.

It has been well over twenty years but Hiashi can still recall, with almost eidetic precision, the first time he met Hinari. Hitomi and Hizashi had suggested dinner in town, a chance to celebrate away from the cold and sterile atmosphere of the compound. He had agreed to meet them after the last of his budget meetings for the day and was walking through the front door of Akimichi's when he saw her. As if sensing his presence, her huge lavender eyes turned to meet his own pale gaze and for the first time in his adult life Hiashi Hyuga had no idea what the hell had hit him.

Everything moved quickly from there. Having never felt such all encompassing emotions Hiashi was unwilling to let Hinari leave for fear she should suddenly decide to change her mind. No amount of gentle persuasion from her could convince him that she was wholly and steadfastly in love with him so she willingly went along with his plans for a speedy marriage, following his brother's by only a week.

Initially the elders had been opposed. They worried that their bloodline trait would be weakened by straying from the main family but they had quickly changed their mind when they met the young woman. She was small and timid, easy prey they reasoned, should they need to encourage Hiashi's decision making in the future and if that had not been enough, the fact that she had delivered an heir within the first year of marriage was.

Of course, what none of them understood, Hiashi included, was that Hinari's gentle appearance had hidden a different type of strength, one that only became obvious the more the council had challenged her husband's leadership. Hiashi frowned as he remembered the first and only time she had stood up to them. It was the morning following Hizashi's funeral.

Hinari was well into her pregnancy with Hanabi and had not been well. That in addition to the stress of Hinata's kidnapping had taken it's toll. Hinari, who had quietly grieved when her sister had died during childbirth and held back more tears as that same child's father was taken away forever finally hit her breaking point.

The council had met to finalize living arrangements for Neji though it was really a formality as Hyuga custom called for a Branch council member to take over the care and training of any minor Branch heirs. Hiashi had requested the right to raise his nephew at Hinari's behest. She wanted him to be raised with a family that would instill in him the values and dreams that his father had lived and doed for. As he expected, the council had refused. Hinari had then stood, wearing a look of dtermination as she faced off against the oldest of the council, her own father-in-law. Her voice though angry, was controlled as she informed them that their refusal meant nothing to her. Neji was the child of her beloved sister and brother-in-law and Hizashi, regardless of clan custom had willed his child to his brother. Hiashi, concerned that the stress could not be good for his ailing wife's health, had finally stepped in and supported her decision. The elders', though shocked at his blatant disregard for tradition chose to back down.

Not long after, Hinari delivered a second healthy baby girl and a mere few months after that she was gone. Though the cause of her death had been listed as complications from a chronic chakra ailment, Hiashi could not help but think that the pressure from dealing with the elders had been at least partially responsible for her death.

Her final words haunted him. "Tell Hanabi I love her everyday and make sure she grows up to be a good girl. Make sure you speak with your children everyday, no matter how busy clan business makes you and for Hinata remember to say good morning Hina-Chan everyday no matter your mood. It's something special between us. It means I love you and I want you to make sure you tell her. She needs to know that you love and acknowledge her every day of her life." A tear had formed and drifted slowly down her cheek as she smiled. He'd nodded, intending to keep his word and in a manner of speaking he had. He had raised Hanabi to be a good girl, albeit she was colder than he would have liked but it had kept her safe from the council. Far safer than her older sister, who had her mother's gentler traits. Traits that were not considered appropriate for a clan leader. In fact, the council had immediately approached him about his older daughter. The emotional wounds from the death of his wife had still been fresh and he began to worry that Hinata, who was so like her mother, would not survive as a leader to the clan so to protect her he had given that role to Hanabi. The elders had seemed satisfied with that and though he knew that he had hurt her with his decision he had reasoned with himself that it would keep her safe. He had been wrong.

Now he stood in front of the daughter that he had beaten down and ignored for the better part of her twenty-one years and the guilt finally became too much. Not once in the years following his beloved's death had he kept his word in regards to her. He had actually distanced himself from her hoping that would also keep her away from those that would cause injury or worse. For all the things he had done though, none seemed to affect him quite as much as that final promise he made. In his absolute wisdom he had decided to never utter those words to his daughter for fear of the wrong person overhearing him. Thankfully, Tsunade had offered him her office, with a gaurantee of privacy so he could finally let his daughter know how much he cared.

As he looked into lavendar eyes that reminded him so much of his Hinari he felt the burn of unshed tears and finally for the first time since her death the tears finally spilled out as he opened his arms and spoke to his grown child.

"Good morning Hina-chan."


	14. Hiashi's Promise

_"Good morning Hina-chan."_

"Father?" Only because of years of conditioning was Hinata able to maintain some measure of control as she turned to face Hiashi.

He gazed at her face, for the first time noticing exactly how many different ways she resembled his late wife. He had always known that her dark hair and lavender eyes were Hinari's but it had been so long since he really looked that he had missed the fact that she had grown to be as beautiful as his late wife. Her eyes, so often downcast and cautious in her youth were now confident and smiling. Those eyes were uniquely Hinata's and Hinari's. Hanabi had inherited her father's steely grey Hyuga eyes. Hinata had also inherited her mother's belief in love and kindness. No matter the impact on herself she had always chosen to walk a path that allowed her to stay true to that. It was why, now, he finally understood that the girl he had always tried to protect, thinking her too delicate to survive the machinations of the Elder Council, by merit of her convictions, was actually stronger than he himself.

He had worried when she first joined the academy. He didn't think she'd be able to build the bonds necessary for a team, shy as she was. Instead she had developed bonds with most of that years graduating class. The chunin exams had been her next test and though she hadn't won she had once again displayed her own unique growth by standing up to her cousin even though she was critically injured. Hinata would never know how close Hiashi was to breaking down that day when they carried her off the field but he didn't. That would have given the council cause to suspect his true feelings. So instead, he took that concern and channelled it into dealing with his guilt over Hizashi. He told a bitter Neji the truth about his father's death. His nephew's abrupt personality change and new dedication to his cousin had convinced him he had done the right thing, at least by Neji, and Hinata's new relationship with her cousin helped numb the pain caused by keeping her distant.

Then came the invasion and with it a whole host of new problems. He had known of his daughter's feelings for the young jinchuruki but had assumed it to be a harmless crush. Once again he had found that he had grossly underestimated the girl. He should have known that the same loyalty that had carried her love for her cousin through his cold years and powered her forgiveness when his heart finally healed would have also given her the courage to jump in where no one else dared. Fearing for the boy's life she had jumped in between Naruto and Pain, intending to trade her life for that of her love. He, himself, had been absent during the attack but Neji had made a point of telling him the story. If her actions did not speak loudly enough Neji's account of her declaration confirmed her love. He'd been happy then, thinking perhaps there was a fairy tail ending out there for her but when the boy showed nothing beyond a friendly interest his happiness fled.

The 4th war had been a turning point in more ways then one for his daughter. He had fought alongside his daughter and nephew. Both had given their all in their fight against Obito. Hinata had once again offered her life to save the boy but this time it was Neji who made the ultimate sacrifice. His heart broke as he watched her and Naruto shed tears over the body. He lowered his face to blink back tears of his own, fearing that for Hinata, Naruto and perhaps all of them this war may well have been lost. Then the sound of a slap garnered their attention. He looked up to see his beautiful daughter as she drew the grief stricken boy to his feet. Together they had stood, surrounded by a golden cloak of chakra. It was then that he realized how truly amazing she was and he vowed no matter how long it took, he would find a way to be a part of her life again.

After the war she mourned her cousin's passing deeply. She had shared that grief with Naruto and the two had become the best of friends. Hiashi had watched them and he was relatively sure that the boy, who had since grown into a young man, returned his daughter's feelings but he suspected Naruto had yet to realize it. His only hope now was that he could clean up this mess so they could have a shot at happiness together and then maybe, just maybe he could remove his mask once and for all and be the father he should have been all along.

Hinata was confused. Her father, the great leader of the Hyuga clan, known for his cool and sometimes cruel behaviour, had just called her Hina-chan. She had not heard the term of endearment since the death of her mother. The tears, they were a completely different matter. Not once in her life had she seen her father cry. Even when his beloved wife passed he had displayed little emotion. Her confusion turned to nervousness.

"Father, did something happen to Hanabi?"

He was once again amazed by her concern for those around her. He embraced her for the first time in years, struggling to gain control of his emotions even as his embrace tightened. "She is fine. Everyone is fine."

Though she sensed something off she couldn't bring herself to push for anything further. Instead, she snuggled into the broad chest, remembering all the times she had wanted this. Now, if only she could share her happiness with him. Sadly, she suspected that her joyful announcement would put a halt to any rebuilding that the two might share in the future. No matter how bad things got, and she knew they would get bad, she was unable to regret the result of that one night of passion. Hopefully he would understand.

His embrace tightened one final time before he released her and looked once again at the face before him. And again, he was filled with a sense of wonder. No judgement marred her features. She accepted his affection as if it were an ever present aspect of her life instead of something he had withheld for far too long. He longed to take her home and make up for all those years but he knew he couldn't. He needed to deal with the Council in order for her to have a safe home to return to and to be honest, he didn't think it was possible to make up for lost time.

Hinata saw her father's conflicted face and smiled. It was a smile designed to comfort, something his daughter did as effortlessly as she breathed and he felt just a little of the guilt fade away. He answered her smile with a rather rusty one of his own and she laughed. Another thing he had missed and he wondered if the kid knew what she was worth. He hoped so. He would no longer allow anyone to hurt his Hina, not even the Hero of the Leaf.

He reluctantly noted the time, knowing that her team mates would be waiting for her soon. He stood tall, the standard Hyuga expression in place again but when he spoke his voice held onto the emotional moment they had just shared.

"My Hina," he used the term again, loathe to forget the warmth the words had caused in his chest. " Be safe on your mission. We have plans to make when you get back."

She frowned, experiencing a moment of panic. _He couldn't know about the baby, could he? But no, if he had any idea that she was pregnant she would most definitely not be on this mission and definitely not to Kumo. _She hoisted the pack over her shoulder and aiming for nonchalance she asked as what she hoped was an afterthought, "Plans father?"

He smiled. "I believe we must discuss your future with a certain young man."

Now the confusion was back. Who did he think she was involved with? She had turned down every prospective suitor that she had ever had since she reached the age of eighteen, and there had been many. She may not have been the future head of the clan but she was still a Main branch Hyuga, with beauty and brains. She would be a welcome asset to any high ranking family but she wasn't interested. She had known from the beginning that the love she held for Naruto was all encompassing. She had accepted that in all likelihood he would not return her feelings and she had come to terms with that. Even if she had an interest in a future suitor the baby that she carried would put an end to that and she was okay with that. Still, there was the matter of her father's words.

"Father?" The frown lines deepened. "What are you talking about?"

The smile broadened. "Come now daughter, I believe most of us know of the great love you have for Uzumaki and the two of you have become much closer recently. I expect I will be speaking with him shortly."

She bit back a wince as she forcefully replaced the frown with a smile. "Sorry father we're just friends." She paused. "I love him yes but Naruto is in love with Sakura. I accepted that a long time ago. So no, you're just going to have to accept that there will be no young men coming to your door anytime soon. In fact," she grinned in a very un-Hinata like way, "I was thinking of opening a cat rescue. I hear it's the in-thing for elderly maidens."

Hiashi smiled at her attempt to cover what was obviously a very painful moment. "My mistake, I am sorry. I just thought with all the time you have been spending together.."

"It's okay really. I've known forever. I just want him to be happy, that'll be enough for me." She smiled and he immediately wondered how he could have been so mistaken. He was sure he had sensed more from the young man. Perhaps he would have a little chat with him while Hinata was away.

Hinata, seeing the time, glanced at her father apologetically. He held out his arms and with no hesitation she stepped forward to accept a quick embrace before she left. As she walked from the room he vowed that somehow he would find a way to give her all the happiness she deserved but had missed out on. _For her, he would make that promise of a lifetime._


End file.
